Intravenous syringe apparatus



Oct. 10, 1967 R. R. ROBERTS ETAL 3,345,986

INTRAVENOUS SYRINGE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS RALPH R. ROBERTS BORIS SCHWARTZ 10, 1967 R. R. ROBERTS ETAL 3,345

INTRAVENOUS SYRINGE APPARATUS Fi led Aug. 5, 1964' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS RALPH R. ROBERTS BORIS SCHWARTZ United States Patent Ofifice 3,345,986 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 3,345,986 INTRAVENGUS SYRINGE APPARATUS Ralph R. Roberts, Glen Rock, NJ. (48 Winding Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 07458), and Boris Schwartz, 400 Park Ave., Paterson, NJ. 07504 Filed Aug. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 387,607 8 Claims. (Cl. 128-414) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A syringe assembly in which the housing bore has an enlarged diameter of short length and disposed adjacent its inner end. The plunger is hollow to provide a fluid passageway from the open outer end to a ring-type piston end and continues from the interior and laterally to the piston surface between two piston ring seals.

This invention relates to a built-in syringe for introvenous use. More particularly this invention relates to a syringe mechanism as part of an intravenous plastic tubing connections for use in transfusions and intravenous applications with the dispending apparatus used therewith.

Even more particularly this infusion syringe is adapted for mounting on the distal end of .aninfusion or transfusion and similar tubular transmitting means wherein in addition to providing a fluid transmitting means for conducting the desired influent fluids to the vein of the patient the syringe primarily enables the attendant administrating the infusion to determine that a positive entrance into the vein of the patient has been made before the infusion is started.

In the administration of blood and other fluid to a patient it has been customary to attach a needle to the distal end of a tubular fluid transmitting apparatus having its proximate end attached to a fluid container. To transfer the fluid into the patient it is necessary that this needle be inserted through the tissue and into the vein of the patient. Present apparatus provides no means for the administrator to ascertain positively that the end of the needle is properly located in the interior passageway of the vein, for in many instances the veins and/ or tissues of many patients are so formed or are in such a condi tion that it is diflicult for the administrator to be sure that the vein has been properly entered.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a syringe apparatus attachable to conventional infusion apparatus and to provide in this apparatus a fluid control as well as a hypodermic action, the hypodermic action being performed to positively determine the proper insertion of the needle tip in the vein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a syringe apparatus that is easy to install, use, and to simultaneously provide a positive inspection and con trol of the fluid influent flow and needle placement.

It is a further object to provide a syringe apparatus which may be made of inexpensive materials and in high volume by mass production methods so that the apparatus may be of such low cost as to be considered a throwaway unit. This apparatus being easy to use and to provide the administrator with a means for a positive control of the infusion fluid.

The attainment of these and other objects are found in the present invention wherein a syringe apparatus attachable to the distal end of an intravenous tubing connection includes a tubular housing having a fluid-conducting plunger movable in the bore of the housing the housing and plunger preferably being made of a low-cost molded plastic. This syringe apparatus as shown in the preferred embodiment and to be later more fully described, includes a tubular body having one end partially closed and with a reduced passageway therethrough. This passageway and the reduced end is so formed as to provide a shoulder means for mounting thereon of a regular hypodermic needle. The bore portion of this housing is made in two diameters. In the preferred embodiment the larger diameter is of rather short length and is adjacent the reduced passageway and the remainder of the bore is of a constant lesser diameter. Slidable in this lesser diameter is a plunger of tubular construction with one end closed. The closed end of this plunger is formed so as to provide a piston portion upon which at least two ring-type sealing surfaces are disposed at a predetermined distance apart. These sealing surfaces are a slidable fit in the lesser diameter bore of the housing while intermediate these sealing surfaces are formed a plurality of fluid passageways to the inner passageway provided by the tubular construction of the plunger. The open end of this inner plunger passageway is adapted to accept and retain the discharge end of a fluid carrying tube which provides the transport of the fluid from the transfusion or intravenous storage container to the recipient. The syringe apparatus with the fluid-carrying tube mounted therein is useable as a hypodermic to ascertain the proper penetration of the vein by the pulling or manipulating of the plunger up into the smaller diameter bore of the housing and is useable as a fluid conductor to the needle when the plunger is moved forwardly in the housing bore so that the piston portion of the plunger is disposed in the enlarged bore of the housing.

There has been outlined rather broadly the most important features of the present invention in order that a detailed description thereof that follows may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereafter and which will form the subject of claims appended hereto. Those persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which the present disclosure is based may readily be utilized as the basis for designing other structures for carrying out the several purposes of this invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the concept and scope of this invention.

A preferred embodiment and modification thereof has been chosen for purposes and illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the preferred assembly of our. syringe apparatus and with the needle and intravenous tubing connection used therewith shown in phantom outline;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded isometric view of the elernents comprising our syringe apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of our syringe apparatus with the plunger disposed in the forward or fluid transferring position; 7

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of our syringe apparatus with the plunger piston portion disposed in the smaller diameter of the barrel and effecting a seal of the fluid flow means;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View similar to FIGURE 3 but with an alternate plunger and piston construction;

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view showing a means for locking the plunger in a forward fluid flowing position;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 7 but with the plunger rotated approximately one-hundred eighty degrees from the position of FIGURE 7.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the syringe apparatus as shown in the preferred arrangement and as seen in FIGURES 14 wherein an outer housing 20 is preferably made in two pieces and is composed of a front member 22 adapted for joining to a rear tubular member 24. This front member 22 has its forwardly extending portion reduced in diameter so as to form a tapered shouldered portion 2e having a passageway 28 therethrough, said tapered outer portion 26 being formed so as to provide a mounting shoulder for a conventional hypodermic needle 3% The rear tubular member 24 has its forward end formed with a shouldered portion 32 and its rear end with a flanged portion 34. The internal bore of member 24 is preferably made with a relatively constant bore 36 which for manufacturing economies in molding may have a slight taper. The internal bore 38 of the front member 22 is of a size to engage and seat on the shouldered portion 32 of the rear member 24 and when so mounted thereon forms a bore of two diameters in which forward bore 38 of short length is of a larger diameter than the longer bore 36 in the rear member 24. The seating of member 22 on the shouldered portion 32 is intended to be in the nature of a press-fit and to be fluid tight even under a normal amount of pressure as developed in syringe use. A plunger 4% preferably of a resilient plastic such as polypropylene, is formed with a flanged end 42 and with the adjacent portion 44 of a cylindrical shape terminating in a piston portion which, as exemplified, has a ring portion 46 slidably in the constant bore 36 of the rear tubular member 24. The ring portion 46 is of sufliciently enlarged size to act as a piston ring in the bore 36 and to have a sufiiciently resilient and tight fit so as to provide a seal against fluid passing up the bore 36 toward the rear flanged portion 34. Adjacent the ring portion 46 is a reduced diameter 48 which is of a sufliciently less diameter than the ring portion 46 so that the ring 48 can act as a fluid stop piston ring. The reduced diameter portion 48 terminates in an outer sealing ring portion 50 which also is of a sufficiently enlarged size as to act as a piston ring in the bore 36 and to be of a resiliently tight fit as to provide a suificient seal against fluid passing down the bore 36 when the plunger 40 has been drawn into the rear tubular member an amount sufiicient for the ring portion 50 to have entered the bore 36. It is to be noted that in the preferred embodiment the ring portion 50 has chamfered edges particularly the rearwardly facing edge which is so formed as to allow the ring portion 50 to be easily drawn into bore 36.

The internal portion of plunger 40 is formed with a fluid passageway. The rear portion of this passageway at or about the location of the flanged end 42 is enlarged to form a socket seat portion 52 for the insertion and seating therein of the distal end of an intravenous tubing connection 54. Extending forwardly of socket seat portion 52 is fluid passageway 56 which, as shown, may be of a stepped configuration or may be tapered. Passageway 56 terminates a short distance before the internal end of plunger 40. Extending outwardly from the passageway 56 are radial passageways 58 which preferably terminates at the reduced diameter 48 between ring portions 46 and 50. To facilitate fluid flow and obviate flow stoppage by the plugging of the passageways 58 it is contemplated that a plurality of passageways 58 will be provided, however, only one passageway 58 is necessary to carry the fluid from passageway 56 to the enlarged internal bore portion 38 of front member 22.

In FIGURE is shown an alternate plunger construction wherein the piston portion is formed with a rubber cap 60, which when mounted on the inner shouldered end of the plunger provide a resilient piston having ring portions and passageways similar in shape and use as the piston portion described above in conjunction with FIGURES 1-4.

In FIGURES 6-8 there is shown a means for locking a plunger 140 such as plunger 40 in the forward or fluid discharge position. In this embodiment a pin 70 is inserted in the flange portion 72 of a flanged end 34. A circumferential groove 74 is formed in diameter 144 of plunger 140, this groove 7'4being disposed adjacent the flanged end 142 and is slightly wider than pin 7t) and is sufficiently deep so that pin 7%) while entering the groove does not engage the bottom of the groove. A flat 76 is formed on the plunger so that when presented toward pin 70 the plunger may be moved longitudinally in the bore 36 of an outer housing 20.

Use and operation The intravenous syringe apparatus as described above is first assembled with the front and rear members 22 and 24 pressed together. In production this may be done by heating the front member 22 and placing on the shoulder portion 32 and allowing the front member to cool to the temperature of the rear member 24. This assembly method is commonly known as a shrink-fit. Plunger 40 is then inserted in bore 36 and a needle 30 is commonly installed. By common means such as of gas and irradiation the syringe apparatus is sterilized and in a packaged condition stored and shipped until time for use.

At the time of use the attendant removes the syringe apparatus from the package and mounts it on the distal end of a plastic intravenous tubing connection. With the plunger 40 in the forward or fluid-flow position the fluid in the supply container is fed through the tubing and syringe until all the air therein is expelled. The flow is then stopped by conventional clamp means and the needle 30 is inserted into the vein of the recipient of the intravenous infusion. When the attendant feels that the needle is properly located in the vein the plunger 40 is drawn into bore 36 where acting as a hypodermic syringe it draws blood from the vein into syringe. The outer housing 20 being preferably made of a transparent or semitranspar'ent material the attendant can readily determine by the presence or absence of blood in the bore of the syringe whether the vein has been properly entered and is ready for the infusion of the fluid. If the location of the needle in the vein is satisfactory, the attendant then pushes the plunger 40 all the way into the housing returning the drawn blood to the vein and positioning the plunger so that the piston portion thereof is in the bore 38 whereby a fluid passageway is provided whereby fluid can flow from the tubing 54 through passageways 56 and 58, bore 38, passageway 28 and through needle 30 and into the vein. The clamp on the tubing apparatus, of course, is released to allow the infusion to proceed in the usual manner.

When the plunger lock of FIGURES 68 is used the plunger 140 after being inserted all the way forward in the housing, is then rotated an amount sufficient for the pin 70 to leave the flat 76 and enter groove 74 whereby the side walls of this groove prevent unwanted longitudinal movement of the plunger 140.

While this invention has been described in detail with respect to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An intravenous syringe apparatus having an outer housing and a plunger movable therein and comprising; (1) a forward housing member of generally cylindrical construction having a predetermined diameter bore portion thence a reduced diameter portion providing a partially closed end; (2) means on said partially closed end for mounting a hypodermic needle; (3) a rear housing member of generally cylindrical construction the bore of which is of generally the same diameter; (4) a shoulder portion formed on one end of the rear housing member, said shouldered portion being a pressure tight fit with the predetermined diameter bore portion of the forward housing member and of a lesser extent than the bore portion; (5) a plunger of generally tubular configuration having a piston portion slidable in the bore of the rear housing member and with the end of the tubular plunger adjacent the piston portion closed and with a fluid passageway from the piston portion of the plunger to the inner passageway of the plunger; and (6) means formed in the other end of the plunger for the removable retention of the distal end of an infusion transmitting means.

2. An intravenous syringe assembly as in claim 1 in which the piston portion of the plunger is formed with at least two outwardly extending and resilient ring-type sealing surfaces which are slidable in the bore of the rear housing member, said rings being disposed a predetermined distance apart and with the fluid passageway from the exterior of the piston portion to the inner passageway terminating between the ring-type sealing surfaces.

3. An intravenous syringe apparatus having an outer housing and a plunger movable therein and in combination comprising; (1) a forward housing member of generally cylindrical construction having a predetermined diameter bore portion and thence a reduced diameter portion providing a partially closed end; (2) means on said partially closed end for mounting a hypodermic needle; (3) a rear housing member of generally cylindrical construction and having a bore of generally the same diameter; (4) a shoulder portion formed on one end of the rear housing member, said shouldered portion being a pressure tight fit in the predetermined diameter bore portion of the forward housing member, the shoulder enterable into only a portion of the said forward member predetermined bore; (5) a flange means on the end of the rear housing member opposite the shoulder end; (6) a plunger of generally tubular configuration and having a piston portion slidable in the bore of the rear housing member the end of the tubular plunger adjacent the piston portion closed and with a fluid passageway from the piston portion of the plunger to the inner passageway of the plunger; and (7) means formed in the other end of the plunger for the removable retention of the distal end of an infusion transmitting means.

4. An intraveneous syringe apparatus as in claim 3 in which the piston portion of the plunger is formed with at least two outwardly extending and resilient ring-type sealing surfaces which are slidable in the bore of the rear housing member, said rings being disposed a predetermined distance apart and with the fluid passageway from the exterior of the piston portion to the inner passageway terminating between the ring type sealing surfaces.

5. An intravenous syringe apparatus as in claim 4 in which there are a plurality of fluid passageways from the exterior piston portion between the ring-type sealing surfaces into the inner passageways of the plunger.

6. An intravenous syringe apparatus as in claim 4 in which there is a flanged portion formed on the open end of the plunger; a groove portion formed adjacent said flange portion; a flattened portion extending from the groove longitudinally of a portion of the plunger and of nearly equal extent from the axis of the plunger as the depth of said groove; and a pin mounted in the flange means of the rear housing and extending inwardly an amount suflicient to enter the plunger groove portion.

7. An intravenous syringe apparatus having a hollow plunger movable in a housing having a means for mounting a needle on a reduced end and having a fluid conducting pathway through the reduced end, the plunger adapted to receive the distal end of the infusion transmitting means and to conduct a fluid from the transmitting means to a needle passageway, the plunger movable in the housing from a fluid flow position to a fluid stopping position and being further movable outwardly in the housing to aspirate fluids through the needle passageway, said apparatus comprising: (a) an outer housing of generally tubular configuration in which the inner bore is formed with at least two diameters including a first and larger diameter portion of a definite shorter length and disposed adjacent the reduced end having a fluid conducting pathway therethrough; (b) a relatively constant lesser second diameter bore in the housing and adjacent the first diameter, said second diameter bore extending at least to a point adjacent the open end; (c) a plunger of generally tubular configuration and having a piston portion slidable in the lesser second diameter bore of the outer member, the piston portion formed with at least two outwardly extending and resilient ringtype sealing surfaces including a first distal ring and a second outward ring, said rings being disposed a predetermined distance apart and with at least one fluid passageway from the interior of the tubular passageway to a piston portion between the two ring-type sealing surfaces, and with that end of the piston portion beyond the distal sealing ring closed to fluid flow; (d) means formed in the other end of the plunger for the removable retention of the distal end of an infusion transmitting means, and (e) means providing a limit to the inward travel of the plunger and piston so that at its inner limit the distal sealing ring is positioned in the first larger diameter portion and the fluid passageway is in fluid flow relationship from the interior of the plunger to the fluid con'ducting pathway through the outer housing, and the second sealing ring outward of the fluid passageway is disposed in the lesser second diameter bore.

8. An intravenous syringe apparatus as in claim 7 in which the means providing a limit to the inward travel of the plunger is a shoulder on the plunger adapted to move into physical engagement with a portion of the housing to limit the inward movement of the plunger to a position whereat the distal end of the plunger piston is a determined distance from the inner end surface of the housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,046 4/1952 Brown 1282l8 3,279,654 10/ 1966 Pierick 222-137 FOREIGN PATENTS 746,057 3/ 6 England.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

D. L. BAKER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. AN INTRAVENOUS SYRINGE APPARATUS HAVING AN OUTER HOUSING AND A PLUNGER MOVABLE THEREIN AND COMPRISING; (1) A FORWARD HOUSING MEMBER OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CONSTRUCTION HAVING A PREDETERMINED DIAMETER BORE PORTION THENCE A REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION PROVIDING A PARTIALLY CLOSED END; (2) MEANS ON SAID PARTIALLY CLOSED END FOR MOUNTING A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE; (3) A REAR HOUSING MEMBER OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CONSTRUCTION THE BORE OF WHICH IS OF GENERALLY THE SAME DIAMETER; (4) A SHOULDER PORTIOM FORMED ON ONE END OF THE REAR HOUSING MEMBER, SAID SHOULDERED PORTION BEING A PRESSURE TIGHT FIT WITH THE PREDETERMINED DIAMETER BORE PORTION OF THE FORWARD HOUSING MEMBER AND OF A LESSER EXTENT THAN THE BORE PORTION; (5) A PLUNGER OF GENERALLY TUBULAR CONFIGURATION HAVING A PISTON PORTION SLIDABLE IN THE BORE OF THE REAR HOUSING MEMBER AND WITH THE END OF THE TUBULAR PLUNGER ADJACENT THE PISTON PORTION CLOSED AND WITH A FLUID PASSAGEWAY FROM THE PISTON PORTION OF THE PLUNGER TO THE INNER PASSAGEWAY OF THE PLUNGER; AND (6) MEANS FORMED IN THE OTHER END OF THE PLUNGER FOR THE REMOVABLE RETENTION OF THE DISTAL END OF AN INFUSION TRANSMITTING MEANS. 